Fence post



March 22, 1966 P. T. BAILEY 3,241,279

FENCE POST Filed April l2, 1953 I3 l 4L. 4@ T Q5 A K 4 INVENTOR. 20T DERCY T. BNLEY ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,241,279 FEN CE POST Percy T. Bailey, R.R. 21, 1243 W. Main Road, Middletown, Newport, RJ. Filed Apr. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 272,561 9 Claims. (Cl. 52-296) This invention relates to improvements in fence posts, and more particularly to a fence post which is reinforced at the portions thereof likely to undergo heavy bending stresses, the reinforcement being of a nature to allow yieldability of the fence post without causing permanent deformation thereof.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved fence post which is reinforced at the portion thereof subject to severe bending strains, the reinforcing means being such as to allow a reasonable amount of yieldability of the fence post without causing permanent deformation thereof, the fence post being relatively simple in construction, being easy to install, and being neat in appearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved fence post of telescoping construction providing plural plies of tubing at the areas of the fence post likely to be subject to heavy bending stresses, the plural plies being arranged in the manner of a multiple leaf spring so that the plies have portions movable longitudinally relative to each other as the fence post iiexes, the fence post being inexpensive to manufacture, being relatively light in weight, being durable in construction, and being easy to assemble.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of the elements of an improved fence post according to the present invention, the elements being shown in separated positions.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross sectional View taken through a fence post constructed from the components shown in FIGURE 1, the fence post being illustrated in completely installed position.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view to the same scale and generally similar to FIGURE 3, but showing the relative positions of the parts while the inner reinforcing element is being moved through the tubular outer main body portion of the fence post.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional View showing a modification of the fence post assembly including the locking structure employed to lock the gripping fingers of the outer main body portion of the fence post in the annular locking groove of the inner reinforcing member.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates an assembled fence post according to the present invention. The fence post comprises a tubular outer main body 12 of any desirable length, the tubular member 12 being provided at its bottom end with a plurality of resilient inturned locking fingers 13. The locking fingers 13 may be formed by first spinning the bottom rim of the tubular member 12 inwardly and then longitudinally slitting the lower portion of the body member 12 at 14, the slits 14 being spaced evenly around the circumference of the lower portion of member 12 so as to define the resilient fingers 13, as illustrated in FIGURE 4. The slits 14 are of sufficient length to give the fingers 13 a substantial amount of resiliency.

Designated at 15 is a tubular inner reinforcing mem- 3%,Z4L279 Patented Mar. 22, 1966 `ice ber which is telescopically engageable in the main body member 12, fitting slidably therein, and being of substantial length, although the member 15 may be substantially shorter than the main body 12 of the fence post. The reinforcing tube 15 is formed a short distance above its bottom end with an inwardly deformed peripheral groove or channel 16 adapted to lockingly receive the inturned tips of the resilient locking fingers 13, as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3.

Designated at 17 is a plug member engageable in the lower end of the main body portion 12 of the fence post and being formed with a generally frusto-conical central stud 18 having a cylindrical base portion 19 which is preferably slightly larger in diameter than the inside diameter of the main body member 12 of the fence post. As shown in FIGURE 5, the plug member 17 is engageable in the bottom end of the main body 12 with the cylindrical portion 19 inserted between the tips of the locking fingers 13, holding said fingers in somewhat outwardly fiexed positions. The inner sleeve member 15 is insertable through the main body portion 12 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 5, and the inner member 15 may be pushed downwardly so that its bottom rim engages on the conical portion of the stud 18 and pushes the plug member 17 downwardly and away from the lingers 13 as member 15 continues its downward movement, whereupon the fingers 13 slide along the outside surface of the bottom portion 20 of member 15 and eventually lockingly engage in the annular channel or groove 16.

Thus, the main body member 12 may be first inserted in the post hole intended to receive the fence post, after which the inner reinforcing sleeve 15 may be slipped into the top portion of the member 12 and may be moved downwardly, being pushed downwardly through the tub-ular main member 12 by any suitable implement inserted into the top portion of member 12, for example, by a length of rigid tubing, or the like, the core member 15 being pushed downwardly through the member 12 sufliciently to dislodge the plug 17 and to cause the resilient locking fingers 13 to lockingly engage in the annular grooves 16 of the reinforcing member 15, in the manner above described.

The post hole, shown at 22, in FIGURE 2, may be thereafter filled with concrete 23 to anchor the bottom portion of the fence post, the elements 12 and 15 being thus permanently locked together by the embodiment of the lower end of member 12 and the lower portion of the inner reinforcing tube 15 in the mass of concrete 23.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the reinforcing inner member 15 rises a substantial height above ground level, and is of sufficient length to extend upwardly beyond the portion of the fence post subject to heavy bending stresses, due to loading of the fence post or swaying thereof under wind force, or the like. It will be seen that the contiguous portions of the members 12 and 15 are telescopically interengaged but are free to slide relative to each other when the fence post fiexes, in the manner of the overlying leaves of a multiple-leaf spring. Thus, the fence post is allowed a reasonable amount of ilexure without causing any permanent deformation of its parts.

In the modification illustrated in FIGURE 6, an outer locking ring 2S is slipped downwardly over the main body 12 of the fence post and is pushed downwardly sufficiently to overlie and exert a binding action on the locking fingers 13. Thus, after the fence post of FIGURE 3 has been assembled, as above described, but before the concrete 23 is poured into the post hole 22, the ring 2S may be `slipped downwardly `along the fence post main body 12 to the position of FIGURE 6, exerting tight gripping action on the upper portions of the resilient fingers 13, and locking said fingers in their locking positions of FIGURE 6, namely, with their inturned tips engaged in the annular groove 16.

The locking ring 25 may be driven downwardly to the position of FIGURE 6 by using a tubular outer driving member, such as a pipe 27, shown in FIGURE 6. Also, a tubular outer member such as the pipe 27 may be employed as an additional reinforcement for the lower portion of the post assembly, forming an additional ply thereof, if so desired. When an outer tubular pipe 27 is employed as an additional reinforcing ply for the fence post structure, its height may be substantially of the same order as the height of the inner member 15, thereby deiining a three-ply reinforcing arrangement at the portion of the fence post subject to heavy bending stresses. As in the case of the first-described embodiment of the invention, the mass of concrete 23 may be poured into the post hole after the outer tubular reinforcing pipe 27 has been positioned on the locking ring 25.

When outside reinforcing sleeves 27 are employed, as shown in FIGURE 6, the lower end portions of the sleeves may be vertically slotted, for example, as shown at 4t) at `a plurality of spaced locations around the circumference of the tube to define a corresponding number of vertical depending legs, for example, three or more legs, serving as anchoring means in the concrete mass 23 poured around the base portion of the post structure.

As will be readily apparent, the annular groove or channel 16 is formed by circumferentially inwardly deforming the metal of the member 15, whereby to define the externally facing annular groove 16, and at the same time to define an internal annular rib 41. As shown in FIGURE 6, the rib 41 may be utilized to support an additional internal reinforcing tube 42 which may be ernployed to further strengthen the fence post assembly at the region thereof subject to heavy bending stresses and to insure that it will not be permanently deformed when subject to heavy wind or other forces. Thus, by using the internal reinforcing tube 42 and the outer reinforcing tube 27, a four-ply telescoped assembly can be provided in the region of the fence post subject to maximum bending stresses.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved fence post have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fence post, a tubular main body member having an open top end, a plurality of inturned resilient locking fingers on the bottom end of said main body member, and an inner tubular reinforcing member telescopically disposed in said main body member, said inner member being formed a substantial distance below its top end with an external annular groove lockingly receiving said resilient locking fingers, said inner member being insertable through said Open top end and being movable downwardly sufficiently to enable the locking fingers to lockingly engage in said groove.

2. In a fence post, a tubular main body member having an open top end, said main body member being formed with a plurality of longitudinal slits extending upwardly from its bottom end to define a plurality of resilient iingers, said fingers having inwardly directed locking tips, and an inner tubular reinforcing member telescopically disposed in said main body member, said inner member being formed a substantial distance below its top end with an external annular groove lockingly receiving said inwardly directed locking tips, said inner member being insertable through said open top end and being movable downwardly sutciently to enable the locking tips to lockingly engage in said groove.

3. In a fence post, a tubular main body member having an open top end, a plurality of inturned resilient locking fingers on the bottom end of said main body member, a plug member engaged in said bottom end and holding l said locking iingers in outwardly flexed positions, and an inner tubular reinforcing member through said open top end telescopically receivable in said main body member and movable downwardly therethrough to engage and dislodge said plug member, said inner member being formed a substantial distance below its top end with an external annular groove adapted to lockingly receive said resilient fingers.

4. In a fence post, a tubular main body member having ari open top end, a plurality of inturned resilientV locking fingers on the bottom end of said main body member, an inner tubular reinforcing member telescopically disposed in said main body member, said inner member being formed a substantial distance below its top end with an external annular groove lockingly receiving said resilient locking fingers, said inner member being insertable through said open top end and being movable downwardly sufliciently to enable the locking fingers to lockingly engage in said groove, and ring means tightly engaged around said locking fingers and holding said lingers in said annular groove.

5. In a fence post, a tubular main body member having an open top end, a plurality of inturned resilient locking fingers on the bottom end of said main body member, an inner tubular reinforcing member telescopically disposed in said main body member, said inner member being formed a substantial distance below its top end with an external annular groove lockingly receiving said resilient locking fingers, said inner member being insertable through said open top end and being movable downwardly sufficiently to enable the locking ngers to lockingly engage in said groove, and a rigid ring member slidably mounted on said main body member and being lockingly engageable around said fingers to hold said fingers in said annular groove.

6. In a fence post, a tubular main body member having an open top end, a plurality of inturned resilient locking fingers on the bottom end of said main body member, and an inner tubular reinforcing member telescopically disposed in said main body member, said inner member bing circumferentially internally deformed a substantial distance below its top end to define an externally facing annular groove and an internal annular rib, said locking linger being lockingly received in said groove, said inner member being insertable through said open top end and being movable downwardly sufficiently to enable the locking lingers to lockingly engage in said groove.

7. In a fence post, a tubular main body member having an open top end, a plurality of inturned resilient locking fingers on the bottom end of said main body member, an inner tubular reinforcing member telescopically disposed in said main body member, said inner member being circumferentially inwardly deformed a substantial distance below its top end to define an externally facing annular groove and an internal annular rib, said locking fingers being lockingly received in said groove, said inner member being insertable through said open top end and being movable downwardly sufficiently to enable the locking fingers to lockingly engage in said groove, and an additional tubular reinforcing member telescopically engaged in said first-named inner reinforcing member and supportingly engaged on said annular rib.

8. In a fence post, a tubular main body member having an open top end, a plurality of inturned resilient locking fingers on the bottom end of said main body member, an inner tubular reinforcing member telescopically disposed in said main body member, said inner member being circumferentially inwardly deformed a substantial distance below its top end to define an externally facing annular groove and an internal annular rib, said locking fingers being lockingly received in said groove, said inner member being insertable through said open top end and being movable downwardly sufficiently to enable the locking ingers to lockingly engage in said groove, a rigid ring member slidably mounted on said main body member and being lockingly engageable around said lingers to hold said fingers in said annular groove, and an outer tubular additional reinforcing member slidably engaged on said main body member and being supported on said rigid ring member.

9. In a fence post, a tubular main body member having an open top end, a plurality of inturned resilient locking fingers on the bottom end of said main body member, an inner tubular reinforcing member telescopically disposed in said main body member, said inner member being circumferentially inwardly deformed a substantial distance below its top end to define an eX- ternally facing annular groove and an internal annular rib, said locking fingers being lockingly received in said groove, said inner member being insertable through said open top end and being movable downwardly suiiciently to enable the locking fingers to lockingly engage in said groove, ring means tightly engaged around said locking fingers and holding said iigners in said annular groove, an cuter reinforcing sleeve slidably engaged on said main body member and being supported on said ring means, and an inner tubular reinforcing member telescopically engaged inside said first-named inner tubular member and supported on said internal annular rib.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 249,803 11/1881 Sparks 52--154 505,579 9/1893 Thurston 287--119 549,053 10/1895 Blow 174-45 RICHARD W. COOKE, JR., Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A TENCE POST, A TUBULAR MAIN BODY MEMBER HAVING AN OPEN TOP END, A PLURALITY OF INTURNED RESILIENT LOCKING FINGERS ON THE BOTTOM END OF SAID MAIN BODY MEMBER, AND AN INNER TUBULAR REINFORCING MEMBER TELESCOPICALLY DISPOSED IN SAID MAIN BODY MEMBER, SAID INNER MEMBER BEING FORMED A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE BELOW ITS TOP END WITH AN EXTERNAL ANNULAR GROOVE LOCKINGLY RECEIVING SAID 